VoIP Bandwidth - How Much Do You Need?
VoIP Bandwidth isn't as much of an issue nowadays as it once was. As more and more people are using broadband there is sufficient bandwidth to handle a VoIP call. This article discusses bandwidth issues with VoIP.
Bandwidth is defined as the ability to transfer data (such as a VoIP telephone call) from one point to another in a fixed amount of time. The higher the bandwidth speed you have, the more data you can send over your Broadband Internet connection.
| There are two types of bandwidth: upload bandwidth and download bandwidth. The Upload Bandwidth is the amount of data you can send to the Internet and download bandwidth is the amount of data you can receive from the Internet. The more Internet bandwidth you have from your ISP (Internet Service Provider) the better. Most residential users of VoIP will not experience any bandwidth problems with their existing high-speed Internet connection. These connections typically provide more bandwidth than is necessary for quality VoIP calls to be made. For business users with multiple lines, bandwidth is a serious consideration for VoIP, so more care needs to be taken. A considerable amount of bandwidth is required for VoIP, so this is a major factor when choosing your VoIP service provider. A high speed Internet connection is necessary for a reliable operation and most high-speed connections have a limited amount of bandwidth available. |
In general, DSL upload bandwidth starts at 128k where as Cable Internet upload bandwidth starts at around 600k. Cable Internet is a little bit more expensive, but it is also about 4-5 times faster than residential DSL and a bit friendlier to a VoIP telephone call. Having said that, both DSL and cable modem high-speed services provide sufficient broadband Internet access bandwidth to support any of the top VoIP service providers.
| The minimum bandwidth of a high-speed Internet connection is approximately 385kbps (kilobits per second). In most cases, the normal VoIP telephone call will use up 100 Kbps (kilobits per second). A fax sent over VoIP will require about the same amount. From this you can see that most connections should easily provide enough bandwidth for 1-2 simultaneous voice calls. You are able to download utilities from the VoIP providers which help determine available bandwidth. This is simply calculated through downloading large files, the speed at which these files take to completely download to your hard drive determines available bandwidth. Bear in mind that response is generally slower during business peak hours. Also keep in mind that day-to day usage of the Internet is simultaneously required during any VoIP calls. Another thing to keep in mind is that while voice calls are somewhat tolerant of reduced bandwidth, sending and receiving of faxes is not. Fax protocols do not allow for missing or heavily delayed packets, so a fax transmission may not complete if sufficient bandwidth is not available. |
If you are already using VoIP, troubles with bandwidth will most likely show up in the form of calls “breaking up” or (rarely) being “dropped” – very similar to what you sometimes experience with mobile phone calls. If you have either of these symptoms, then limited bandwidth could likely be the cause.
Bandwidth is a consideration when using VoIP, but as you can see, it should not be a problem for most users. Little planning and running a few simple tests can provide you with some assurance of a decent VoIP bandwidth.
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